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Living Nonviolence: Class Description
Beginning April 4, 2016
During this six week video/on line course, John Dear will reflect on our practice of personal and
interpersonal nonviolence, how we can deepen our nonviolence in every area of life and how we can
help the global grassroots movement pursue a more nonviolent world. Using his book, “The Nonviolent
Life,” John will reflect on what he calls the three simultaneous attributes of a nonviolent life: being
nonviolent toward ourselves; being nonviolent to all people, all creatures, and all creation; and joining
the global grassroots movement of nonviolence.
According to John, most people attempt one or two of these dimensions or attributes, but few do all
three. To become a fully rounded, holistic person of nonviolence, we need to practice all three attributes
simultaneously. Then we can better approach the mature, holistic nonviolence of peacemakers like
Dorothy Day, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
In this video class and class discussion board, John will invite participants to reflect on those three
dimensions of nonviolence, on their lives and the world, and how we can all deepen our personal,
interpersonal and global nonviolence. Each video will end with three reflection questions. These
questions, along with John’s reflections, can be the basis of a short reflection or journal entry which can
be shared with the class on the class discussion board by the end of the week.
Living Nonviolence: The Six Week Course Outline
April 4: Living a Nonviolent Life (Video 1 out of 6)
In this first video and week, John will offer introductory reflections on active nonviolence as a way of
life, a methodology for social change, and a spiritual path; then discuss the three simultaneous attributes
of the nonviolent life; and share some initial thoughts about practicing nonviolence toward yourself.
April 11: Making Peace with Yourself, Cultivating Inner Nonviolence (Video 2 out of 6)
In the second video and week, John will reflect on being nonviolent to yourself. He will talk about the
need to look deeply within, understand the wounds we have from the culture of violence, the ways we
cooperate with violence inside ourselves and how we can non-cooperate with our own inner violence.
We want to unlearn violence, not beat ourselves up, but to try to be peaceful toward ourselves---to
cultivate interior nonviolence and peace. As peacemakers, we want to be gentle with ourselves, cultivate
peace, take time for peaceful meditation, and learn new ways to live at peace with ourselves from now
on.
April 18: Practicing Nonviolence Toward All Others (Video 3 out of 6)
In the third video and week, John will reflect on our calling to practice meticulous interpersonal
nonviolence toward all people from now on. We want to be attentive to our personal nonviolence, to be
as loving and compassionate as we can, to be nonviolent and compassionate to those who push our
buttons and trigger our inner violence, and even to learn how to respond nonviolently to anyone who
would threaten us. That means, we have to be centered, mindful, peaceful and fearless from now on.
April 25: Universal Nonviolence Toward All People, All Creatures, and the Earth (Video 4 out of 6)
In the fourth video and week, John will continue his reflections on the second attribute—being
nonviolent toward all people, and reflect how we can widen our hearts and our practice into universal
nonviolence, to resist the social sins of violence, such as racism, sexism and war, and live in solidarity
with everyone, as well as to be nonviolent to all creatures and the earth itself, to do our part to stop
environmental destruction and protect mother Earth.
May 2: Joining the Global Grassroots Movement of Nonviolence (Video 5 out of 6)
In the fifth video and week, John will reflect on the third simultaneous attribute, the need for us to join
the global grassroots movement of nonviolence, and to be part of the movement for justice and peace for
the rest of our lives. The only way nonviolent social change ever happens through history is through
bottom up grassroots movements. As Archbishop Romero said the day he was killed, “Nobody can do
everything, but everybody can do something.” We will reflect on the power and history of grassroots
movements of nonviolence; and joining and staying with the movements for the rest of our lives.
May 9: The Mission of Nonviolence: Going Forward as People of Nonviolence, Working for a New
Nonviolent World (Video 6 out of 6)
In this sixth video and week, the conclusion of our course, John will reflect on the mission of
nonviolence; the big vision of working for the abolition of war, poverty, greed, racism, sexism, nuclear
weapons, environmental destruction and all violence; and the need to stay with the struggle for justice
and peace, come what may, so that we practice the holistic, mature nonviolence of Gandhi and King and
fulfill our vocations to be peacemakers.
The Teacher
Rev. John Dear is an internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence. He is a popular speaker,
organizer, lecturer, retreat leader, and the author/editor of 30 books. He has organized and participated
in nonviolent campaigns for over three decades; been arrested some 75 times in acts of civil
disobedience against war and injustice; and spent nearly a year of his life in jail for peace. The former
director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, he has taught at the high school and university level. He
has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and several others. His
most recent books include “The Nonviolent Life,” “Walking the Way: Following Jesus on the Path of
Nonviolence;” and “Thomas Merton Peacemaker.” His new book, “The Beatitudes of Peace” will be
published in June. He is on the staff of Pace e Bene, promotes Campaign Nonviolence, and lives in New
Mexico. For further information, see www.johndear.org
If you have any questions, please contact Ryan Hall at Pace e Bene via email, [email protected] or
phone, 510-268-8765.